


BiTs - Baristas in Training

by meridian_rose (meridianrose)



Category: The Librarians (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Community: trope_bingo, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2015-04-19
Packaged: 2018-03-24 18:11:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3778840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meridianrose/pseuds/meridian_rose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the trope bingo prompt "Coffee Shop au"; Eve reflects on how Flynn dumped three newbies in her lap and left her to run the coffee house and deal with Jenkins. She doesn't think she - they - are doing a bad job of it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	BiTs - Baristas in Training

Eve watched the newbies go about their business. She was still, it had to be said, mad at Flynn.

He'd hired her to be his assistant manager and barely had she got her head around the rota, the temperamental cappuccino maker, and dealing with the even more temperamental Jenkins, than Flynn had the notion to go and open the first in a planned chain of stores.

He'd left her holding the baby – his first and always would be most loved (he said) premier coffee house. It had a literary theme, lots of images of books, inspirational quotations on the walls, free wi-fi to encourage writers and students, free newspapers, and additionally hosted regular events like poetry readings and book signings. The store had developed a reputation for excellence, and its commitment to environmental concerns and Fair Trade policies could only help.

This success gave Flynn the opportunity to open a new store. Eve could manage this one, right? Before she'd even said "yes", he'd dumped three new staff in her lap and disappeared off across the country.

None of the three Lil' BiTs as Flynn had affectionately dubbed them – baristas in training - had much in the way of previous experience. They wouldn’t have been Eve's choice but Flynn insisted he'd had his reasons. 

Eve pondered the staff as she wiped down the tables during a quieter moment between the hectic opening hour and the lunch rush.

Cassandra; Eve thought Flynn had hired her out of pity, out of her need to pay medical bills for an untreatable condition that would one day kill her. It broke Eve's heart if she thought about it too much, especially when Cassandra was smiling that warm grin that got her generous tips. Cassandra could be a little weird sometimes but Eve had decided they were all a little weird here, and given her condition Cassandra ought to get some slack.

Jake; now he was a charmer. Customers loved his smooth patter with his southern drawl, and he'd developed a knack for dealing with the cappuccino maker that Eve envied. He didn't like to talk about himself, but from what little he did say, Eve got the impression he was avoiding family drama. He did say that he'd "tended a little bar" and she believed him.

Jones; what to say about Ezekiel Jones? He was smart as hell, had memorised the menu, and recommended coffees the way a sommelier recommended fine wines. Female customers liked him more than male ones, who seemed wary of his too slick persona. Eve had an uncharitable suspicion he was on the run from the law. So far he wasn't dipping into the till, and both she and Jenkins were keeping a close eye on the profits.

Jenkins; well, Flynn joked that he came with the building, but Eve found herself thinking it wasn't a joke at all. Jenkins knew the company inside and out, kept exacting records, dealt with suppliers with an iron rod, and complained bitterly about Flynn's recklessness with the business. At least once a week he prophesied the BiTs would bring ruin to the company, and yet every week at the staff meeting he had to acknowledge that profits were steady, or even up, that week.

They were all a little rough around the edges. Eve's own background was in fine dining. How she ended up here was a story she barely believed herself.

Despite all this, they worked well as a team, and that was what mattered. She noticed how Jake could calm Cassandra down when she seemed on the verge of a panic attack, and how he always stayed centred during their busiest times and any crisis. She saw how Ezekiel went out of his way to help customers, holding the door for someone using a cane, or swiftly making an origami bird out of a serviette to cheer someone up. She was still impressed with the reorganisation Cassandra had undertaken to the stock room which had not only increased their efficiency but had reduced wastage by ensuring proper stock rotation. Even Jenkins, after a minor meltdown, had to agree it was an improvement.

Eve eyed the clean tables with a sense of professional pride. "Don't let the place burn down," Flynn had called as he'd left. She hoped he came back soon so he could see what a wonderful job they'd been doing. He'd left his beloved coffee house in safe hands.


End file.
